Anxiolytic-like effects of nociceptin/orphanin FQ in the elevated plus maze and in the conditioned defensive burying test in rats. 2006

Giovanni Vitale, and Rossana Arletti, and Valentina Ruggieri, and Carlo Cifani, and Maurizio Massi
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, I-41100 Modena, Italy. vitale.giovanni@unimore.it

Different reports suggest that nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) may have either anxiolytic- or anxiogenic-like effect in rodents. Since N/OFQ elicits hypolocomotion, which undergoes rapid tolerance, and hypolocomotion may be associated to emotional consequences, the present study was designed to investigate the effect of N/OFQ on anxiety after development of tolerance to its hypolocomotor effect. The effect of single or double intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of N/OFQ was evaluated on anxiety-related behaviors in rats, in the elevated plus maze (EPM) and conditioned defensive burying (CDB) tests. After single administration, N/OFQ displayed an anxiogenic-like pattern of response on the elevated plus maze but hypolocomotion was also observed. Conversely, in the CDB test, N/OFQ induced a clear-cut anxiolytic pattern. To produce tolerance to N/OFQ-induced hypolocomotion the peptide was administered by two i.c.v. injections separated by 120 min; in these conditions it decreased the expression of anxiety-related behaviors in both tests without affecting locomotor activity. The nociceptin/orphanin FQ peptide (NOP) receptor antagonist UFP-101 significantly reduced the effects of N/OFQ to control values in either tests. Corticosterone levels were significantly increased after a single N/OFQ administration (not in a dose-dependent manner) but this increase did not reach significance after double administration (1 nmol/rat). Our results support the idea that N/OFQ may act as an anxiolytic-like agent in the rat; the apparent anxiogenic-like effect observed following its single administration in the EPM may be consequent to its effect on locomotion.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D009483 Neuropsychological Tests Tests designed to assess neurological function associated with certain behaviors. They are used in diagnosing brain dysfunction or damage and central nervous system disorders or injury. Aphasia Tests,Cognitive Test,Cognitive Testing,Cognitive Tests,Memory for Designs Test,Neuropsychological Testing,AX-CPT,Behavioral Assessment of Dysexecutive Syndrome,CANTAB,Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery,Clock Test,Cognitive Function Scanner,Continuous Performance Task,Controlled Oral Word Association Test,Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System,Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment,Hooper Visual Organization Test,NEPSY,Neuropsychologic Tests,Neuropsychological Test,Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test,Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status,Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure,Symbol Digit Modalities Test,Test of Everyday Attention,Test, Neuropsychological,Tests, Neuropsychological,Tower of London Test,Neuropsychologic Test,Test, Cognitive,Testing, Cognitive,Testing, Neuropsychological,Tests, Cognitive
D003213 Conditioning, Psychological Simple form of learning involving the formation, strengthening, or weakening of an association between a stimulus and a response. Conditioning, Psychology,Psychological Conditioning,Social Learning Theory,Social Learning Theories,Theory, Social Learning
D003345 Corticosterone An adrenocortical steroid that has modest but significant activities as a mineralocorticoid and a glucocorticoid. (From Goodman and Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 8th ed, p1437)
D000097629 Nociceptin A pronociceptive peptide that acts as a specific endogenous agonist to the NOCICEPTIN RECEPTOR. N-OFQ Peptide,Nociceptin-Orphanin FQ,Orphanin FQ
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001007 Anxiety Feelings or emotions of dread, apprehension, and impending disaster but not disabling as with ANXIETY DISORDERS. Angst,Anxiousness,Hypervigilance,Nervousness,Social Anxiety,Anxieties, Social,Anxiety, Social,Social Anxieties
D001522 Behavior, Animal The observable response an animal makes to any situation. Autotomy Animal,Animal Behavior,Animal Behaviors
D014151 Anti-Anxiety Agents Agents that alleviate ANXIETY, tension, and ANXIETY DISORDERS, promote sedation, and have a calming effect without affecting clarity of consciousness or neurologic conditions. ADRENERGIC BETA-ANTAGONISTS are commonly used in the symptomatic treatment of anxiety but are not included here. Anti-Anxiety Agent,Anti-Anxiety Drug,Anxiolytic,Anxiolytic Agent,Anxiolytic Agents,Tranquilizing Agents, Minor,Anti-Anxiety Drugs,Anti-Anxiety Effect,Anti-Anxiety Effects,Antianxiety Effect,Antianxiety Effects,Anxiolytic Effect,Anxiolytic Effects,Anxiolytics,Tranquillizing Agents, Minor,Agent, Anti-Anxiety,Agent, Anxiolytic,Agents, Anti-Anxiety,Agents, Anxiolytic,Agents, Minor Tranquilizing,Agents, Minor Tranquillizing,Anti Anxiety Agent,Anti Anxiety Agents,Anti Anxiety Drug,Anti Anxiety Drugs,Anti Anxiety Effect,Anti Anxiety Effects,Drug, Anti-Anxiety,Drugs, Anti-Anxiety,Effect, Anti-Anxiety,Effect, Antianxiety,Effect, Anxiolytic,Effects, Anti-Anxiety,Effects, Antianxiety,Effects, Anxiolytic,Minor Tranquilizing Agents,Minor Tranquillizing Agents
D015398 Signal Transduction The intracellular transfer of information (biological activation/inhibition) through a signal pathway. In each signal transduction system, an activation/inhibition signal from a biologically active molecule (hormone, neurotransmitter) is mediated via the coupling of a receptor/enzyme to a second messenger system or to an ion channel. Signal transduction plays an important role in activating cellular functions, cell differentiation, and cell proliferation. Examples of signal transduction systems are the GAMMA-AMINOBUTYRIC ACID-postsynaptic receptor-calcium ion channel system, the receptor-mediated T-cell activation pathway, and the receptor-mediated activation of phospholipases. Those coupled to membrane depolarization or intracellular release of calcium include the receptor-mediated activation of cytotoxic functions in granulocytes and the synaptic potentiation of protein kinase activation. Some signal transduction pathways may be part of larger signal transduction pathways; for example, protein kinase activation is part of the platelet activation signal pathway. Cell Signaling,Receptor-Mediated Signal Transduction,Signal Pathways,Receptor Mediated Signal Transduction,Signal Transduction Pathways,Signal Transduction Systems,Pathway, Signal,Pathway, Signal Transduction,Pathways, Signal,Pathways, Signal Transduction,Receptor-Mediated Signal Transductions,Signal Pathway,Signal Transduction Pathway,Signal Transduction System,Signal Transduction, Receptor-Mediated,Signal Transductions,Signal Transductions, Receptor-Mediated,System, Signal Transduction,Systems, Signal Transduction,Transduction, Signal,Transductions, Signal

Related Publications

Giovanni Vitale, and Rossana Arletti, and Valentina Ruggieri, and Carlo Cifani, and Maurizio Massi
January 2015, Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology,
Giovanni Vitale, and Rossana Arletti, and Valentina Ruggieri, and Carlo Cifani, and Maurizio Massi
February 2006, Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology,
Giovanni Vitale, and Rossana Arletti, and Valentina Ruggieri, and Carlo Cifani, and Maurizio Massi
March 1993, Behavioural brain research,
Giovanni Vitale, and Rossana Arletti, and Valentina Ruggieri, and Carlo Cifani, and Maurizio Massi
January 2008, Neuroscience letters,
Giovanni Vitale, and Rossana Arletti, and Valentina Ruggieri, and Carlo Cifani, and Maurizio Massi
February 2004, Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior,
Giovanni Vitale, and Rossana Arletti, and Valentina Ruggieri, and Carlo Cifani, and Maurizio Massi
January 2011, Pharmacological reports : PR,
Giovanni Vitale, and Rossana Arletti, and Valentina Ruggieri, and Carlo Cifani, and Maurizio Massi
June 1999, Methods and findings in experimental and clinical pharmacology,
Giovanni Vitale, and Rossana Arletti, and Valentina Ruggieri, and Carlo Cifani, and Maurizio Massi
July 1993, European journal of pharmacology,
Giovanni Vitale, and Rossana Arletti, and Valentina Ruggieri, and Carlo Cifani, and Maurizio Massi
July 2000, Peptides,
Giovanni Vitale, and Rossana Arletti, and Valentina Ruggieri, and Carlo Cifani, and Maurizio Massi
January 2014, BioMed research international,
Copied contents to your clipboard!